The first thing I will adamantly shriek is: this book was a very epically unique read for me! It presented a detailed and complex world that felt a little bit sci-fi and a little bit paranormal. (I’m going to lean towards the paranormal, which is, like, my second favourite genre. WOOT.)

“WHAT IS THIS BOOK ABOUT THEN, CAIT?????” you shriek, because who needs blurbs when you can have me eloquently and fabulously sum up the novel? (You’re welcome, by the way.)

THE BASIC GIST: You have multiple “layers” of lives* and most people treat the “firstlife” as a prequel…and the real things start when you join either Troika or Myriad (which kinda seem like Big Dubious Corporations) and enter their wars against each other. If you don’t choose, you go to a sort of purgatory place. I have no idea why it’s bad. BUT APPARENTLY IT’S BAD. Don’t go there.

* According to the interview with the author in the back of my ARC, she is a Christian and has based this idea off the book of the Bible, Revelation! I mean, this is still more paranormal-ish…but the wars definitely seem like religious tensions (without a God figure). And there’s a smattering of Reincarnation thrown in. And it was decidedly intriguing.

While Firstlife was totally cool and unique — ultimately it wasn’t really my favourite. I shall explain all, calm your little hearts. It had a small truck load of things I do like but I found the execution a little irritating.

OKAY WHERE TO START…HUM HMM…

Tenley (“Ten”) begins the story in this deranged sort of prison because she refuses to choose a side in the afterlife. Basically you have to sign a contract with either Troika or Myriad. Light or dark. Both are kind of good? Kind of scary?? And they hate each other?? BUT TEN WON’T MAKE A DECISIONS. She is the most indecisive bean you will ever meet in the history of ever. SHE WOULD RATHER BE TORTURED THAN DECIDE. My issue with this? I have no freaking clue WHY she wouldn’t decide. Her parents wanted her to sign with Myriad so they’d get money or something and when she wouldn’t they locked (!!) her up in prison (!!) where she gets tortured (!!) all the time (!) And the SUCKY PARENTS OF THE YEAR AWARD GOES TO THEM. The brutality is intense.

But 400+ pages of Ten not being able to decide on the afterlife? Hmm. Maybe not my favourite. And she doesn’t spend a lot of time weighing pros and cons, because she’s TRYING NOT TO BE KILLED. So I felt like we were going round and round and roooound…

But, hey! It was really actiony which was awesome. You dive from one violent struggle to the next. BAM BAM. Torture! Bleeding! Sadistic psychopaths around every corner! My kinda adventure.

And of course, the roooomance. Um, is it a love triangle? While there are two boys here to recruit Ten (one from each side) Ten never really loved Archer. She was totally #TeamKillian. And he was the moody one, while Archer was the bubbly one. Who is surprised at her choice? Exactly no one.

OTHER MINOR THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

It was really long.

The book takes indecision to a whole new level.

I didn’t love the characters, sadly. I just didn’t connect to them?

The humour was only sexual innuendos and I am not a fan of that style.

BUT, ALTERNATELY, THINGS I DID LIKE:

Those characters basically went through the wringer, and omg, the author seriously didn’t coddle anyone! TORTURE. TORTURE EVERYWHERE.

It left me guessing the whole time and wondering what AWFUL THING WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. Aka, this is a page-turner, folks.

I’m not going to lie: that cover is basically everything.

The fact that people have multiple lifespans and can sometimes flit from dimension to dimension…it was pretty unique to read about.

THAT ENDING THOUGH. I’m unsure whether to “omg give me more!” or “arghhghhg how could you end like that”. I foresee myself needing to swallow the sequel.

OVERALL? Firstlife is a solidly good book! I did growl at the characters 94% of the time and I struggled to care about them or understand their motivations. Plus certain elements felt really overdone…but then others super different and refreshing??! Balance, I guess! It was exciting and leaves me wanting more. LIKE RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU TO HARLEQUIN TEEN AUSTRALIA FOR THE ARC. Firstlife by Gena Showalter is published March, 2016.

Tenley “Ten” Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live — after she dies. There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death. In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, long-time enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms that will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she’s drawn to isn’t where the boy she’s falling for lives? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision…

I cannot fault you for that. My photography skills today are FLAWLESS. #justsayintoo
Ahem.
ALSO YUS. I think it would be cool if there were more Biblical based things?!? Because there is soooo much stuff in the Bible, omg. SO MUCH EPIC STUFF. Ahem. But yes, I wasn’t a real fan of the romance. And then you’d probably enjoy this humour a lot. 😂 *throws the book at you*

OH MAN THAT COVER. I’m curious, did you take these photos with an actual mirror? Or did you just sell your soul for nefarious photoshopping skills? Because they are NEFARIOUSLY GORGEOUS. And Cait, your style of jokes is inappropriate food references. Literally. This premise sounds super interesting but eh, I’m not a fan of indecisive characters. Perhaps because I am indecisive in real life. But still. Thanks for the review and the lovely photos!

But that’s probably why Ten really got to me with her indecisiveness too…I’m horribly indecisive in actuality. 😂 But she wouldn’t even let anyone make the decision for her, whereas I’m like “SOMEONE. TELL ME WHAT TO DO OMG.”

I hemmed and hawed over requesting this book on Netgalley, and now after your review I don’t feel bad that I didn’t. I do not like violence, nor much physical torture of characters, if any. I much prefer mental anguish. Ha ha! I also am not a fan of sexual inuendo. Thanks for the review and letting me know that I will not be needing to add this to my list of books I want to kick myself for not requesting. 😀

Tbh I don’t think my feels could handle another GRRM. 😭 Like without a word of a lie, I literally had to read the Red Wedding scene three times before I could even BEGIN to comprehend what had happened.

I love the cover, but I probably won’t read it. I do love violent books like game of thrones and throne of glass. I especially love it when the violence is so unique, and it makes you think no else would come up with this.

I like unique books too. XD It’s probably because I read soooo many?! So when something is just that “little bit different” I’m all YAY and FLAIL. So even though this wasn’t my favourite, I totally appreciate the story!

The cover is very pretty. but the concept sounds quite weird. And indecisiveness is annoying. I really need violence in books to be complex rather than just put in for effect. I don’t get squeamish, I just get sad-because torture/slavery/ other human rights abuses are reality for some people and fiction can sometimes distance people from that. Still, awesome review and pictures 🙂

I totally agree for the violence-to-be-complex-not-just-freaky. *nods* I think this one leans more to the gratuitous side almost? Idek. I find it hard to tell when it’s moving the plot forward or just freaking out the readers.😂 I’m glad you liked my pictures though!!

This is why I LOVE your book reviews!! And EVERYTHING about how you talk about a book. Like, the book totally frustrated you in both good and bad ways and that sort of thing intrigues me because I’m a total weirdo who likes to be strung along on crazy rides and OMG I totally want to read this book. I also adore that your fair in your rating and balance your review and are just so positive throughout! So entertaining! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

I really look forward to it! I saw the book trailer, it popped up on my facebook feed and I got super excited bc I remembered your review and all the elements the trailer was pointing out made me get all amped up! Lol!

I ADORE lists so I LOVE when you make your lists!! Even steven is fair though!!! ^.^

I receieved an e-arc of this the other week and haven’t got around to reading it yet, but plan to in the next week or two. I have heard a lot of great things about, but there it does sound interesting and I do still want to read it.

Premise and your little summary sound truly interesting. But your sentence “The book takes indecision to a whole new level.” sealed the deal for me. In negative way. I just cant deal with indecisive characters. They drive me crazy. Seriously. I am staying away from this book for the sake of my sanity.

And omg I just don't even get crass humour. It’s never funny to me? But I guess we’re the minority because it must appeal to a lot of people because I see it in books fairly often.😂 And omg I still need to read Afterworlds!! I do love that cover too. :’)

Beautiful pictures! That’s so awesome! (I know you needed that)
So considering this book probably isn’t going to worm it’s way into my hands any time soon, I can’t say I’m super invested? But the premix sounds interesting. It’s disappointing that it wasn’t implemented the way it could have been. *sigh* it’s so sad when books with awesome premises don’t fulfil all the amazing things they could do. Anyway, thanks for your review. (And mirror photos. Because, if I’m honest, I was kind of more interested in the mirror photos #sorrynotsorry)

Too true. *nods* Like it’s probably not my most favourite premise? But I was super keen to see how the author would pull it off! And it was definitely interesting and I loved the world (although a bit more details would’ve been nice?) BUT YEAH. Ultimately I think the characters kind of ruined it for me.

Wow, fantastic review (as always, seriously you have a gift with words)! As soon as you said the characters were really put through the wringer, my interest was piqued. If there are people in agony (which is kind of given, since you used the word torture a bazillion times) I tend to find my heart is squished to smithers. And I like those type of books (but I hate reading about torture??) I guess it’s the knowledge of each character suffering, sometimes for no reason at all, that gives a little more realism. After all, we humans go through bad spots in life and sometimes crap happens and life simply ISN’T fair. We can’t all have fairy-tale endings.

Omg, thank you! :’) *flails happily* I know reviews can sometimes be rather boring/dry so I TRY HARD!!😂

YUS. TORTURE. MUCHLY HERE. I like it when ALL the characters are equally feared for their lives, and ohhh that definitely happened in this book. And too true: we don’t all get fairy tale endings. Dangit.

AAH! I adore your mirror photos! That is so cool! I think my favorite one is either the first or third one.

This sounds like a neat book. It is kind of weird that most of it was about Ten’s indecision and yet it never explained whyyy she was indecisive. But the whole concept and world of the book sounds really interesting. And the action-packed. Also, I’d love to see what the author did with the whole spin on it being inspired by the Bible. I was actually kind of thinking that while reading your blurbish paragraph. Could be very interesting.

AHHH THANK YOU, ASHLEY. 😂 I was so pleased when I thought about doing this (I didn’t make it up, or anything haha, ahem, I am not that genius…bUT STILL. I REMEMBERED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.)

but yes, that was like half the problem! I mean, she didn’t want to pick her parents side because they were awful, so I GET THAT…but why was it so hard then? Why not pick the opposing side? I DON’T UNDERSTAND TEN, NOT AT ALL.

Ughhhh, I do not like characters that can’t make up their mind, unfortunately it’s a pet peeve of mine. To be honest I’ve never been a fan of the whole religious/afterlife trope in YA Paranormal books? Not sure why?

Great review, Cait. I don’t yet know how I feel about this book. Do I want to read it or don’t I?!?! I HAVE NO IDEA. I might actually just wait until we get a sequel, as it sounds like this one might have a cliffhanger ending… AND I DON’T APPROVE! Cliffhangers are the bane of my existence.

Love the cover! Some authors really luck out when it comes to covers, don’t they?

I don’t know about violence/gore/torture. Sometimes it bothers me, sometimes it doesn’t. I guess there’s a line where it goes from making sense in the context of the story to just gratuitousness. Although, sometimes that line is really, really faint. (I keep thinking about Unwind and that one scene. Yes, it made sense in context… but it was a bit too much, and I felt like half the motivation for making it so grisly was adding shock value.)

I’m not sure if I’ll be reading this one. I think the main character’s indecision would drive me nuts. And it sounds like the world isn’t explained well enough to understand why the main character would have such indecision. What makes it so hard to choose? (It better not just be about the love interest!)

Omg they totally do!! The cover love for this one is intense. And actually I remember Harlequin showing two covers for this book and asking people to vote on it? AND I VOTED THIS ONE OF COURSE AND I’M SO GLAD IT WON!! hehe

And I’m the same with the violence/torture, actually. Because mostly I’m fine? I like how stressful it makes the reading experience. ;D But at the same time, sometimes I think it’s a bit gratuitous and doesn’t develop the story at all. (I felt that way with An Ember in the Ashes…ugh.) I can’t really remember too much of Unwind? BUT I REMEMBER IT GAVE ME NIGHTMARES OMG.

And true *nods* I think more explanation to WHY she couldn’t make the decision would’ve been nice. 🙁

I’m not sure this is my kind of book if it’s just a load of indecision and torture – even if it is interesting, action-wise. I don’t know, it just doesn’t appeal to me for some reason. But a great review as always, Cait! 🙂

Okay, so you didn’t really make me want to read the book, but I loooooove your mirror photography! 😀 I’m okay with violent books if it serves a purpose and isn’t just used as a plot device. I really hate torture, though, especially in TV shows or movies.

Skip this one, Maraia. JUST TRUST ME. 😂 I’m the same though! Like I felt An Ember in the Ashes was just “ooh let us be violent!” and it had no real emphasis to the plot and didn’t even really build the world very well?

I have! I have! I don’t remember a lot of the plot though?! But I looooved the parts where they fell across the universes. :’) And wore the weights and stuff to stay on the right gravity, omg. SUCH A CLEVER MOVIE. Ahem.

I DONT WHY WHY SHE WOULDN’T JUST DECIDE EITHER! This killed me when I was reading it, I was just like “one of these seems much better than the other…” I couldn’t understand how someone could be that indecisive for that long.

I won’t even talk about the love triangle. My heart may have been broken. Why don’t they ever like the nice guy? Nice guys are great!

OMG SO IT WASN’T JUST ME?!?! *collapses in relief* Like I get she wanted to say “HA SUCK IT” to her parents, but I don’t know why that didn’t just cement her going for the opposite team? Like…where was the indecision really? Either she goes with her parents or she doesn’t. Grr, woman, make up your mind.

Why is it that it’s always the brooding bad boy who’s chosen in a love triangle? I want to read a book where it’s the cute, bubbly one that’s chosen. Because mostly the bad boys seem kind of creepy and overly jealous. And I like it when authors don’t coddle their MCs. The MCs should get put through the wringer, too. THEY SHOULDN’T ALWAYS BE THE ONES COMING OUT MOSTLY UNSCATHED. The Scorpion Rules was like that, too. The whole thing with the apple smasher (I actually can’t remember what it’s called. Oops).

And I agree with you about the sexual humor thing. It’s not that great. Although, at least I can read/watch it without turning bright red anymore (I was an innocent fifteen year old. I still can’t watch some of the kissing scenes in Teen Wolf without kind of wanting to cover my eyes. So apparently I’m an innocent seventeen year old, too).

OMG AINE, I HAVE NO IDEA. I would choose the funny/bubbly guy, tbh. Laughter gets you through stuff so much better than the dark broody guy. Hmph. But I guess technically Peeta out of the Hunger Games is the lighter one to Gale’s intensive “lemme go kill a thing”??? But mostly the broody guy wins. SOMEONE NEEDS TO WRITE A LOVE TRIANGLE WHERE THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN. Ahem.

bUt yessss. I was really impressed how NONE of the characters were spared! I don’t like it when the book is too “comfortable” around the main character.

OMGG THE APPLE PRESS SCENE. I tHINK I NEARLY SCREECHED IN THAT BOOK. I had world building problems with The Scorpion Rules? But daaaang, it was torturously intense.

WOW those are some sucky parents! I can’t imagine anybody doing that just because their child wouldn’t make the decision they wanted them to make! OMG! I’m glad that this book was tolerable for you. I know that Jeann and a couple of people DNFed it because they were so annoyed and frustrated with everything that was happening. I think I’ll pass on this one because it doesn’t really sound like my thing…

I KNOW RIGHT?!?! Worst. parents. EVERRRRRR. *feeds Tenley soft pretzels and cookies because clearly she needs it* I do agree it was frustrating, sadly, but idek…it was definitely an okay read? But not my favourite. 😂

Epic cover and great mirror photos! I’m not the squeamish type so I enjoy the darker the better. And if the author makes it visual enough, I’ll squirm but connect more with the characters. This is one for my reading challenge list!
Most fun and excellent review too!

Cool photos!!! The premise sounds really cool, but overly indecisive characters would really bug me since I’m a very decisive person. I almost always know what I’m going to do, when I’m going to do it, how, and then I just do it. I can get very aggravated when people can’t make a freaking decision!! Drives me nuts!!
~Sara

Oooh, that is awesome you’re a decisive person.😂 I am for like BIG things. But omg don’t ask me what ice cream flavour I want. (Maybe that’s why I was annoyed at Ten? Because I have the indecisive tendencies?!? XD)

No I am a little squeamish about torture, especially if it involves cutting off body parts. Bleh. But I kind of listened to my gut in this case, because I just had a feeling this book wouldn’t be for me! It is also incredibly intimidating. I do REALLY like the premise though, the idea of there being two sides in your second life, so I’m not sure WHAT I will do. Maybe I will just read this from the library or something? Hmmmmm. DECISIONS.

Sadly this book and I didn’t have a great time together. I couldn’t make head or tail of it and decided to DNF because it was too confusing and the massive blocks of info dumping hurt my head. It’s an occupational health and safety matter. The indecision though is a killer. I think that’s why I don’t do well with love triangles and it usually takes the protagonist three books to decide on who’s the better option and it’s annoying. It detracts from the real storyline. I may give this one another try one day. But not today. Not tomorrow either.

I’m glad you still enjoyed this somewhat smushy, you’re much more patient than I am <3 <3

*pats shoulder* I kind of totally understand.😂 I was actually thinking that the afterlife thingy was a SECRET? So I was kind of thrown when I realised it was like more of a whole paranormal world *nods* BUT YEAH. THE INDECISION. Do you even know whyyyy she couldn’t decide??! I need to find someone who knows and can tell me. 😐

So I skimmed because I am probably going to read this soon. BUT I had to pop in for a few reasons.

#1- The cover IS pretty, and your pictures make it look even prettier. I tried to do a mirror photo thing once too, but it did NOT turn out that lovely!

#2- We used the SAME Rachel from Friends gif- on the SAME. DAY. Like how? HOW? I think it’s because we are both that fabulous of humans, it’s really the only explanation.

#3- I had to at least skim, because I keep hearing ALL the bad things about this. And you didn’t exactly love it, BUT you liked it, and that is good enough for me to give it a go. So thank you! Or, if I hate it, damn you! 😉

AND OMG I’M GLAD YOU LIKE MY PHOTOS!! *flails* I had this brilliant idea and absconded with my sister’s mirror into the yard. (She was…raising her eyebrows, but pfft, whatever. The arts cannot be judged or contained.) The trick is to not get YOURSELF in the mirror, right?!? I had to do some clever cropping. 😂

OMGGG WE CLEARLY ARE TWINS!!! Although I haven’t actually ever even seen Friends? So if you’ve seen it, then you win.

YES GIVE IT A GO! Never know until you try, right?!? And if you hate it, then just remember my pretty photos and you’ll feel happy again. :’) #logic

I have an ARC of this one but now I’m doubting on whether or not I should read it. I hate indecisiveness! The concept sounds good but still, if she won’t decide just for the sake of not deciding, I’m sure I won’t like reading the book.

Indecisiveness does kinda bother me too. But I AM really indecisive myself???? So maybe that’s why, hehe.😂 I just wish there’d be more reason for her I-don’t-wanna-make-a-decision apart from wanting to sneer at her parents? (Granted they were awful parents, but still.)

“And the SUCKY PARENTS OF THE YEAR AWARD GOES TO THEM.” xD OMG. *beats random pillows* everyyy timmmme dude. I don’t even know things about books (yeah any of them *cough*) but your REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS SO ENTERTAINING. LIKE, HOW DO YOU DO THAT??? idk let’s move on. OH OH LOVE TRIANGLE. I like things like this. x) *enter absolutely hopeless romantic* I’M SO HOPELESS, ACTUAL HOPELESS ROMANTICS LOSE HOPE IN ME. like omg so true.

THAT COVER IS EPIC BUT NOT AS EPIC AS THESE MIRROR PICTURES. gAH. that is all. ♥

ZOMG HOW DO YOUR COMMENTS ALWAYS MAKE ME SMILE LIKE AN ABASHED CUCUMBER. <3 I'm glad they're entertaining. I know reviews have the tendency to be about as interesting as tree bark if one hasn't read the book SO I DO TRY HARD.😂 Awww, you hopeless romantic. 😂 I am hopelessly un-romantic ahem, and I honestly felt Ten was a bit too damaged to enter into a relationship at this point.

BUT THANK YOU. I actually stole my sister's mirror for this. She should honestly appreciate my genius more. Instead she was just sort of squint/glaring at me saying "Whyyyy do you want to take my mirror outside?" THE ARTS, WOMAN, THE ARTS.

I knooooow right?! I honestly would choose the charming joker, because laughter gets you through ANYTHING BASICALLY. Ahem. But yes, I think if it’d just been a bit more concise? Or had a bit more going on instead of just torture and indecision?

Okay LOVE the premise, LOVE the cover and THESE PHOTOS CAIT WOW but INDECISIVENESS NOOOOOO. I have read some of her books before and enjoyed them but DAMN indecisiveness really kills me. We will just have to wait and see what I choose to do. WAIT AM I NOW BEING INDECISIVE?????

OMG YOUR PICTURES ARE ON POINT. LOVE!!. (Now let me go cower in a corner because I fail at any type of picture-taking. XD)
But this sounds like an interesting book! The dimension and multiple life-span thing sounds cool, also I’m kind of a sucker for page-turners and pretty covers, soo… added to my never-ending TBR!
Awesome review, Cait!!

AHH THANK YOU, ANALEE. 😂 And omg, do not go away and cry. *lures you back with delicious cake* I just put a mirror outside and snapped away (and tried not to get my face in the shots! HAH!) AHem. But yes, the page-turning aspect was glorious. :’) I do love it when I can’t put a book down!

Hmm, this sounds like a really interesting book on most levels. I really like the idea of choosing your afterlife and having recruiters. And I’m all for violence and torture. Also, the cover is 10000% attractive and I need it in my life right now. But I do think her indecisiveness would bother me, especially if she gets tortured for it. Like, seriously, just make up your mind already! It can’t be /that/ hard.

I am intrigued though with the idea of it being sort of based on the book of Revelation, because that sounds interesting. And that cover–I would read pretty much anything for that cover. *nods*

That’s what I thought. I mean, she doesn’t want to choose her parents side because her parents suck (I agree, they did) SO WHY WAS THERE A PROBLEM??? CHOOSE THE OTHER SIDE???? DUH?? *trundles away grumbling*

Okay, first of all, those mirror pictures are awesome!!! Second of all, I’m a bit sad to hear that this book wasn’t everything I was hoping it would be. I think I’ll go read Showalter’s Zombie books instead (at least for now) because I’d be frustrated about the indecision just for the sake of indecision. Thanks for your thoughts on this one!

Indecision… I run for the hills when a character suffers from indecision. But it sounds, as you said, really unique, and I’ve been eyeing this book for a while now. I’m very interested and want to read it, despite the flaws it has. And yes, those mirror pics are EPIC! 😀

I’m reading this one right now and find that I’m having similar issues with it. I hate the indecision! And normally I can tolerate love triangles but this one is really bothering me for some reason. I do love the cover and the premise though, so I shall continue on!

I actually loved that Ten didn’t decide anything on a whim, and hey, all that torture actually helped her. Kind of. In a way, at least. And for once, I actually enjoyed the kind-of love triangle (which wasn’t really a triangle at all, I don’t think, but close enough) because Ten didn’t whine about that. And she was really trying to make the best choice – for herself, not for her parents, or for Killian or Archer – so that both her life and her afterlife would be something she could actually live with.
I do get what you say about there being so much going on that the connection to the characters might lessen a bit, though. However, like you, I can’t wait for the next book.
Great review, Cait!

I don’t really think it was much of a love triangle either. XD Unless it was an unrequited love-triangle??? Because Ten seemed to have zero attraction for Archer (FAIR ENOUGH)😂 But I guess it has the potential to go that way in future books? Hmm. I’m glad you loved it so much, though, Lexxie!! YAY.

I’m still pretty undecided about this book. It seems like a really long time where she hasn’t decided and I know that is just gonna make me feel frustrated and maybe get a little bit draggy in that time as well. however, I do think the idea of this being based on the Bible is pretty cool. And those photos with the mirror? So gorgeous D: